Glass-sealed reed type relay module



1964 B. DAL BIANCO ETAL 3,121,147

GLASS-SEALED REED TYPE RELAY MODULE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20, 1961 L1 lnvenlor BRUNO DAL BIANCO M7110 SCATA Atlor ey OIIU "I Feb. 11, 1964 B. DAL BIANCO ETAL 3,121,147

GLASS-SEALED REED TYPE RELAY MODULE Filed Oct. 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor BRUNO DAL BIANCO 7 ARIO SCATA Attorney United States Patent 3,121,147 GLASS-SEALED REED TYPE RELAY MODULE Bruno dal B'mnco, Milan, and Mario Scata, Monza, Italy,

assignors to International Standard Electric Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 147,423 Claims priority, application Italy Nov. 7, 1960 9 Claims. (Cl. 200-87) This invention relates to glass-sealed reed type relay modules and more particularly for modules designed for the manufacture of 1r type relays as described in our co-pending application Serial Number 25,437, filed on April 28, 1960, and entitled Sealed Contact Device or 1r Relay, now Patent No. 3,056,869.

One of the harmful properties inherent to glass vessels or tubes of the reed relays is the brittleness and another drawback of such devices is the slight mechanical differences found between the external elements after sealing of vessels which cause troubles when said vessels are to be assembled in their magnetic structures or in the relays of which they form part.

Firstly, it was presumed that, by using directly the terminals protruding from the vessels on a side only thereof, such as it appears in the clip and 1r relays, according to the patents above mentioned, it would be possible to obtain a considerable saving, but it has been found that, because of said slight constructional differences, this saving does not exist, whereas severe measures from a mechanical point of view are required when said units are used in combination.

To avoid these drawbacks there has been devised the design of a unit termed module particularly dimensinned in order to meet the requirements of the customer and the 1r type sealed contact device has been chosen, because of its very small size, for the design of a module unit also of small size.

The module unit gives the following advantages:

(a) It permits to impart to the sealed contact device a greater strength due to the fact that the glass vessel is contained in a small fully sealed plastics box.

(b) It permits to provide two terminals for the glass vessel at a rigorous standard spacing independent from the spacing of the terminals of said vessel and spreading them by means of magnetic pole pieces which improve the operation thereof.

(c) It permits to improve the insulation, since the glass vessel is hygroscopic, thevessel being now contained in a tightly sealed plastics box (d) It permits to assemble a plurality of 1r devices making the alignment of the units easy and to apply in a uniform and constant way the magnetic field for the operation of said 1r devices.

(2) It permits to reduce the number of the energizing coils and of the magnetic actuation devices in the case of mutliple relays with obvious economic advantages.

The above and other features and objects of the present invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a greatly enlarged sectional frontal view of one of said module units, to show how the ar type sealed contact device is placed inside a small sealed room; how the magnetic auxiliary pole pieces welded to the actual terminals of said 1r device are arranged, for the path of the magnetic flux and how the standard spacing of the auxiliary terminals for the connection to the external circuit is established.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the same box of FIG. 1 to emphasize some details thereof.

FlG. 3 is a greatly enlarged perspective view of one of the two auxiliary magnetic pole pieces incorporating one Ice of the two external terminals of said module unit.

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged view of an insulating block provided with terminals of non-magnetic materials at a standard spacing to be associated with one or more module units, according to FIG. 1, for the assembly of a sealed contact relay.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates the arrangement of the magnetic circuit along the side of the module unit, according, to FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, on an arbitrary scale, of a single unit relay consisting of a module unit of FIG. 1, a terminal block of FIG. 4, and using the magnetic circuit of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, on an arbitrary scale, of a four unit relay, consisting of four module units of FIG. 1, a terminal block of FIG. 4, and using a magnetic circuit which consists of an energizing coil and two pole pieces of trapezoidal form, which conveys simultaneously the magnetic flux to all the magnetic pole pieces of the respective module units.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a relay with two module units oppositely arranged, according to their setting for a particular application.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the module unit is formed by a rectangular block 1 of moulded insulating material (plastics), the size of which a, b, and c, are about 21 mm. x 13 mm. x 7.5 mm. (approx. 5 x /2" x On side 2 or base of the block there is made a rectangular hollow 3, extending inside the block 1, into which, as it will be seen later, there can be accommodated vessel 4 of a 11' type contact device. Said hollow 3 slightly widening towards the base to contain two magnetic pole pieces 15-16 provided with a leg or pin (FIG. 3) each of which is welded to each of the two connecting pins of the sealed type 1r contact device 4, the purpose of which will be clarified later.

Block 1, on the longer side, is provided with two cuts 5, 5' C shaped on each side, each out being limited by the side wall of the block and by two teeth 6 on the top and 7 on the bottom and 6' and 7' respectively of said block.

Looking towards the bottom of said cuts 5, 5, other two small cuts 8, S are shown, one for each side of the block, limited upwards and downwards by planes 9-10 and 9' and 10' respectively. Another tooth 11 and 11 respectively protruding further from block 1 at both sides (FIGS. 1 and 2) is integral with the lower center of the lateral wall. Two holes 12-12 appear on the top front portion of block 1 passing through the thickness thereof. The purpose of cuts 5-5, 8-3 of teeth 6-6, 7-7, and holes 12-12 will also be made clearer later.

FIG. 3 shows one of the magnetic pole pieces placed inside block 1 (for instance 15) integral with a pin or flat lug 14 which is welded to each pin of the 1r device, protruding from the vessel to provide a module unit of FIG. 1.

This pole piece 15 is made from a plate of magnetic material and it is shaped in the form illustrated in FIG. 3, showing a plane 13 from which extends downwards a plug-in lug 14. Plane 13 is joined, by bending, with two lateral sloped pieces such as 15 terminating with a cylindrical portion 17 which receives the pin of a 1r device.

Turning again to FIG. 1, there will be noted that the two magnetic pole pieces 15, 16, one of which is shown in FIG. 3, after being welded to pins 13-19 of a w device, maintaining the perfect alignment of the lugs 14, are introduced into hollow 3 and will be accommodated inside the widening of said hollow, maintaining plane 13 parallel to and leaning against the inside wall corresponding to the bottom of the cuts indicated by 8-8 (FIG. 1), whereas the two lugs or plugs 14-14 will rest parallel therebetween at a standard spacing, depending upon the module required. Hollow 3 is further filled with a resin (Araldite) which will strengthen terminals 14-14 and will improve the insulation of the 1r device with respect to the outside ambient.

The module unit of FIG. 1, thus completed, is ready to be associated with a plurality of similar units in several ways, i.e. by means of tie-rods which pass through holes 12-12 by means of non-magnetic metal strips passing through cuts 5-5' or by shaping the external pole pieces of the energizing coil and by adapting them into cuts 3-8 and teeth 11-11 (FIGS. 1 and 2) maintain said module unit(s) in place, as will be seen later. Terminals or lugs 14-14 permit either the connection of the simple unit or multiple unit into suitable sockets, with obvious advantages for the replacement, or the connection to printed circuits, plugging these units into suitable holes and soldering them by means of known methods, or the connection to the usual circuits by means of a solder gun.

FIG. 4 illustrates an attachment, designed to bring the external connections to the Winding(s) of the energizing coil(s) of the relay. It is formed by a moulded block of insulating material (plastics) of square or rectangular shape, provided at both sides with two rectangular cuts 21-21, which correspond in position and size to those 8 8 comprised between two planes as 9-1tl of FIG. 1, with two terminals 22-23 on bottom of block Ztl, identical to terminals 14-1 i of the magnetic pole pieces of FIG. 3, with standard spacing and with other two terminals 24-25 integral with same metallic pieces 22-23 protruding from the top portion of block 20.

The purpose of the lateral cuts between planes 9-9 and Til-1d (FIG. 1) and of cuts 21-21 (FIG. 4) is to align side by side a plurality of module units and to provide energizing coil winding terminals as it will be seen later. Holes 12-12 are designed to accommodate two tie-rods to lock an assembly of two or a plurality of module units.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates the disposition of the magnetic elements to operate one or a plurality aligned module units.

Energizing coil 26 is wound on magnetic core 27, generally having square section ends, to which are suitably fixed or welded two strips or plates 2d-29 of magnetic material provided with teeth of projections 50-31 to be received into cuts 8-8 of FIG. 1, and placed in front of magnetic pole pieces 13 (FIG. 3) of the ar type sealed contact device. The lower edge of the two external pole pieces 28-29 of the energizing coil are provided with small cuts to accommodate teeth 11-11 of the module unit to obtain a rigid and compact assembly of the module units with the magnetic circuit.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a complete 1r type relay comprising its respective module unit. The relay comprises two external pole pieces 28-29 (already shown in FIG. 5), and an energizing coil 26 having core 27 rigidly secured to said pole pieces, a module unit 1 shown in FIG. '1 and a binding attachment 20 for the coil ends as shown in FIG. 4. The total volume of the unit is about 6 cm. (0.036 cubic inch).

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a complex relay with four module units of the type illustrated in FIG. 1, together with an attachment block 20 for the coil ends, as shown in FIG. 4 and provided with a magnetic circuit of particular form consisting of an energizing coil 26 and two pole pieces 32-33 of trapezoidal shape which transfer simultaneously the magnetic flux to all the smaller pole pieces of the respective module units (four in the present example). The total volume of this multiple unit is about 22 cm. (1.34 cubic inches).

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of a double contact relay having two module units in opposition to each other. It is formed by two rectangular plates 32-33 of magnetic material running parallel therebetween and spaced by magnetic core 27 of an energizing coil 26 placed in the symmetry center thereof. On the narrower sides of the opposite ends of each of said rectangular plates 32-33, are provided small cuts to accommodate teeth 11 of the module units and of the terminal attachment. The module units are eventually clamped together by tie-rods through holes 12-12 (FIG. 1) or by other means secured to the two sides of the parallelepiped formed by the relay frame through cuts 5-5 of each module unit. The total volume of this double unit is about 10 cm. (0.61 cubic inch).

While the principles of the present invention have been described above in connection with some specific examples, it is to be clearly understood that many other and different arrangements can be given to these electromagnetic relay units starting from the forms illustrated and described herewith without departing from the scope and the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A glass-sealed reed type relay structure comprising hollow plastic case means having an opening on one side thereof, glass enclosed reed-contact switching means, terminal pin means, protruding from one side of said glass enclosure, said switching means located inside said hollow, with said pin terminal means extending toward said opening, special magnetic pole pieces connected to said pin terminal to form a flux path through said switching means, said pole pieces comprising terminal lugs extending through said opening for electrically connecting said switching means to external circuits, and plastic filler means to permanently position said sealed switching means and said pole pieces inside said hollow.

2. In the structure of claim 1 wherein said plastic case comprises indentations on its outer surface opposite said special pole pieces whereby external magnetic pole pieces can be positioned in effective flux linking relationship with said special pole pieces.

3. In the structure of claim 2 wherein said plastic case comprises hole means for use in rigidly mechanically combining a plurality of said plastic cases. i

4. In the structure of claim 3 wherein said plastic case comprises lateral cuts for use in rigidly mechanically combining a plurality of said plastic cases.

5. In the structure of claim 4 wherein said special pole pieces comprise plates of magnetic material having a it plane surface from which plug in lug means extend, and means for connecting to said terminal pin means.

6. The structure of claim 5 and magnetic circuit means for operating said switching means responsive to application of electrical current comprising wire wound magnetic core means, external pole pieces connected to and extending downward from said core to form a horseshoe magnetic configuration around said case, projections on said external pole pieces fitting into said indentations whereby said special pole pieces are magnetically linked to said external pole pieces.

7. The structure of claim 6 and insulating block means comprising regular terminal lugs for electrically connect-v ing said wire wound core to an electrical current source.

8. The structure of claim 7 and means for stacking a plurality of said plastic cases and controlling each of said sealed switching means with only one of said magnetic circuit means.

9. A magnetically operated glass switch relay structure comprising a glass enclosed reed contact switching unit having terminal pin means protruding from one side of said glass enclosure, plastic means encapsulating said sealed switching unit, magnetic flux generating means comprising a wire wound core, parallel plates of magnetic material extending from each end of said core to form a horseshoe configuration fitting around the outside of said plastic means, proiections of magnetic material on said plates protruding inwardly, indentations in said plastic means for receiving said projections, and auxiliarypole pieces mounted on the other sides of said indentations and inside said plastic means permanently connected to said pin terminals, to complete a flux path to said switching unit from said core, said auxiliary pole pieces com prising terminal lugs forming part of an electric current path through said switching unit and encased in said plastic to have a fixed spacing between said lugs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lear et a1. Ian. 9, 1934 Baker Feb. 13, 1945 Welch Dec. 6, 1949 Welch Feb. 6, 1951 Pelington Apr. 17, 1956 

1. A GLASS-SEALED REED TYPE RELAY STRUCTURE COMPRISING HOLLOW PLASTIC CASE MEANS HAVING AN OPENING ON ONE SIDE THEREOF, GLASS ENCLOSED REED-CONTACT SWITCHING MEANS, TERMINAL PIN MEANS, PROTRUDING FROM ONE SIDE OF SAID GLASS ENCLOSURE, SAID SWITCHING MEANS LOCATED INSIDE SAID HOLLOW, WITH SAID PIN TERMINAL MEANS EXTENDING TOWARD SAID OPENING, SPECIAL MAGNETIC POLE PIECES CONNECTED TO SAID PIN TERMINAL TO FORM A FLUX PATH THROUGH SAID SWITCHING MEANS, SAID POLE PIECES COMPRISING TERMINAL LUGS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING FOR ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING SAID SWITCHING MEANS TO EXTERNAL CIRCUITS, AND PLASTIC FILLER 